Bin collections in South Gloucestershire resume as union ballots on pay deal
Union members are to be balloted on an improved pay offer from today (31 July)
From today, bin collections in South Gloucestershire resume - at least temporarily - as members of the Unite Union vote on a ballot over a new pay deal, worth 10.1%.
The walkouts by the 150 Suez workers, contracted to empty the bins on behalf of South Gloucestershire Council, have been suspended until at least the result of the ballot.
If the Unite union vote against the deal and reject the ballot, strikes will begin again later this week - on August 3.
Unite regional officer Ken Fish said: "As an act of goodwill our members have agreed to suspend strike action while they are balloted on the new offer."
Suez previously told us how they are working to bring the dispute to an 'amicable conclusion'.
Councillors Young and Boulton said: “We have been clear from the start that a resolution needs to be found between Suez and Unite as soon possible to end the significant disruption being caused to our residents. We are pleased that Unite are recommending that their members who work for Suez should accept this latest pay offer and hope that this signals a swift return to normal working for the benefit of everyone.
“We have been doing all we can to minimise the impact of the disruption by working with Suez and the staff they have available to provide the best level of service possible in the circumstances.
“We wholeheartedly thank our residents for their patience and the ongoing effort they have been putting into recycling and continuing to help the environment over the past weeks. Our residents have dealt with so much over the past weeks and we are pleased to let them know that kerbside collections will restart on Monday 31 July.”
Read more: Union reps hint at breakthrough over South Glocs bin strikes